Women’s Leadership Role in the Apostolic Faith Mission Church of South Africa
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Keywords
Apostolic Faith Mission of South Africa, Nego-feminism, Pentecostal feminist hermeneutics, Pentecostal church, Women leadership
Abstract
Women’s advancement into executive leadership in the Apostolic Faith Mission (AFM) church in South Africa (SA) has not been able to keep pace with women’s movement into the workforce. As part of a resolution passed at the AFM of SA’s National Leadership Forum (NLF) meeting, a task team was appointed in March 2020 to determine what prevents women from being elected to leadership positions in the church. This team consisted of three women ordained as pastors in the church. A questionnaire was distributed by the team to women in the AFM assemblies in nine provinces of SA asking why women were not advancing in leadership in the church and what could be done to change the phenomenon. A sample of 89 participants responded to both closed and open-ended questions. The open-ended questions were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. The findings illustrated that a change in perceptions and bias toward women in leadership is needed. Women require support from church leadership, training, mentorship, and intentional changes to policy and practice. Finally, women require representation on all levels of leadership in the church.
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Dr Sarina de Jager, University of Pretoria
Dr Sarina de Jager, PhD is a registered Educational Psychologist and a lecturer in Humanities Education at the University of Pretoria. Her research interests include well-being in education, with her most recent research exploring the connection between students in Higher Education’s well-being, and their experiences of vulnerability and worthiness. Sarina also nurtures a key interest in mindfulness in education, wisdom, courage, and self-transcendence. Her community service involves empowering women in the AFM of SA church to pursue academic writing and postgraduate studies.
Dr Jackie Botes
Dr Jackie Botes, PhD is an ordained presiding pastor in Welkom, Free State. Her research interests include the ripple effect of “goodness” (righteousness) in local communities. She believes local churches have the potential to be agents of goodness that will enhance the “shalom” wellness of people. She is also the founder of an NPO namely HOUSE OF HOPE that practically demonstrates this research.
Pastor Thandanani Savhasa
Thandanani Savhasa is an Ordained Pastor in the Apostolic Faith Mission of South Africa and Senior Pastor of the AFM Naledi Assembly in Soweto. She holds a Bachelor of Theology Degree from North West University and a Bachelor of Architectural Studies Degree from the University of Witwatersrand. She is the newly elected AFM International Youth President, the AFM of SA National Youth Director, Youth Chairperson of the AFM Central Gauteng Region, and former African Co-Chair of Empowered 21’s Youth Department (NGN). She is also a coordinator of Faith Girls Ministry (FGM), a ministry focussed on equipping girls (women) in their walk with Christ and preserving their dignity. Pastor Savhasa is a former Youth Development Worker at Columba Leadership, running leadership programs across South Africa in the public schooling sectors, and an Executive in the Gauteng Council of Churches. She is an advocate for the development of the youth and for building thriving communities through collaboration with key role players in the community. She believes in building Christ-centred communities where the church (open throughout the week) facilitates and drives God's children's spiritual and physical needs.
Dr Ina Smit
Dr Ina Smit, PhD is the presiding pastor of an AFM assembly in Auckland Park, Johannesburg. She has been a member of the National Leadership Forum of the AFM of SA since 2020. Ina has served as administrator on the Central Gauteng Regional Committee since 2012 and was elected as chairperson in 2021. She has been appointed by the NLF as a member of the Appeals Committee of the AFM of SA. She also serves as CEO of the NGO Place of Refuge 911 in Newlands, Johannesburg, and heads a feeding scheme in the Newclare, Newlands, Westbury, and Clairmont areas. She has been in full-time ministry with her husband since 1984. Ina’s ministry is focused on the well-being of women and children, specifically equipping vulnerable and destitute women and children and helping them find safe homes.